There was a great atmosphere on Valentines Day in the Five Bells pub in Harmondsworth, as 13 residents,most of whom face losing their homes if a 3rd runway is built, each ‘adopted’ one of the 13 Plane Stupid activists who face jail after occupying a runway at Heathrow. There was a specially-made Valentines Day cake, with the words; “Heathrow – you’re breaking our hearts.” The ‘adopters’ each drew the name of the activist they would ‘adopt’. They have promised to write to the activists and support them in any way they can, if they go to jail. A second remarkable cake, with the face and name of each of the Heathrow 13, was made by the mum of one of the activists, Cameron Kaye. John Stewart, chair of HACAN, the residents’ group which opposes a new runway, said, “The event was good fun. There was a warm mood of mutual support in the room. It was made 100% clear that the activists won’t be alone when they are sentenced in 10 days time. Residents and direct action protesters are united as one in their determination to stop a third runway.” The serious purpose of the event was to show “the bond of unity there is between the people who put their bodies on the line at Heathrow and the residents who face losing their homes.”
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There was a great atmosphere on Valentines Day in the Five Bells pub in Harmondsworth, as 13 residents each ‘adopted’ one of the 13 Plane Stupid activists who face jail after occupying a runway at Heathrow. Most of the residents face losing their home if a new runway is built. The 11th century pub itself is under threat of demolition if a third runway goes ahead.

A specially-made Valentines Day cake was cut by Sam Sender, one of the activists, and Sheila Taylor who has lived in the area all her life. The cake – with a beautiful scene of sky and clouds – with a runway below, and the words; “Heathrow – you’re breaking our hearts.”

Cutting the cake marked the end of a ceremony where each resident drew out of a hat the name of an activist whom they ‘adopted’. They promised to write to them and support the activists in any way they can, if they go to jail.

A second remarkable cake was made by the mum of one of the activists, Cameron Kaye. It had on it the faces and the names of each of the Heathrow 13.

Afterwards the packed pub went outside for a celebration on Harmondsworth Green.

John Stewart, chair of HACAN, the residents’ group which opposes a new runway, said, “There was a warm mood of mutual support in the room. It was made 100% clear that the activists won’t be alone when they are sentenced in 10 days time. Residents and direct action protesters are united as one in their determination to stop a third runway.”

“The event was good fun. But it has a really serious purpose. It shows the bond of unity there is between the people who put their bodies on the line at Heathrow and the residents who face losing their homes.”

The sentencing of the Heathrow 13 will take place at Willesden Magistrates Court on the morning of 24thFebruary. There will be a gathering outside the court at 9am, in support of the activists as they go into court.

Nearly 800 homes will need to be demolished for a new runway. But Heathrow has admitted that it might need to buy up a total of almost 4,000 homes as the noise of planes landing and taking off in the nearby communities of Sipson and Harlington might be unbearable.

The Plane Stupid activists are determined that there would not be a runway at Heathrow, or at Gatwick – largely because of the high carbon emissions the extra flights would encourage.

The Government is expected to make a decision about a new runway in London and the South East later this year.

Outside the court, the press interview the activists after the verdict

Thirteen members of the Plane Stupid campaign group who occupied the eastern end of Heathrow’s northern runway on 13th July 2015 have been found guilty of aggravated trespass and entering a security-restricted area of an aerodrome. They have been told it is almost inevitable they will face a prison term. Their defence had been that their actions were intended to prevent death or serous illness to people. However, district judge Deborah Wright (who sat alone) said the cost of the disruption at Heathrow was “absolutely astronomical”. Those convicted were clapped and cheered as they left the court. They have been bailed to appear for sentencing on 24 February. A statement released by the #Heathrow13 following their convictions read: “Today’s judgement demonstrates that the legal system does not yet recognise that climate defence is not an offence. We took action because we saw that it was sorely needed. When the democratic, legislative and processes have failed, it takes the actions of ordinary people to change them.” They say instead of the government taking action to cut carbon emissions, it is intending to spend millions making the problem bigger, if another runway is allowed. Though the judge recognised “They are all principled people” she considered what the protesters did was “symbolic and designed to make a point, not to save lives”.